Combined steering and propelling apparatus.



No. 635,384. i Patented Det. 24, |899. I.'LEHMAN.

GUMBINED STEERING AND PROPELLING APPARATUS.

(Application led Aug. 18, 1899.) (No Model.)

' W/TNESSES: INVENTOH )QWJEIQ uw y@ @ag y MFM UNrTnD STATES.

PATENT Ottica.

ISADOR LEI-IMAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COMBINED STEERING AND FROPELLING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,384, dated October24, 1899.

Application filed August 1 S, 1 8 9 9.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, IsADoR LEHMAN, a resident of Oleveland, coupty ofCuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Combined Steering and Propelling Apparatus; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in combined propelling andsteering apparatus for boats or vessels, and it pertains more especiallyto apparatus of the character indicated that comprises a cylindricalopen-ended rudder-forming casing containing the wheel or wheels of thepropeller.

One object of the present invention is to provide mechanism foroscillating or swinging the said rudder-forming casing in a horizontalplane with facility.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionof jointed propeller-shaft, so as to accommodate the location of thepropelling and steering apparatus in the closest practical proximity tothe rear end of the stern-post of the boat or vessel, to accommodate themovement of the rudderforming casing without interfering with theoperation of the propeller-shaft, and to afford a large sweep for thecasing without interfering with the operation of the propeller-shaft andwithout causing undue friction in the joints of the shaft.

With these objects in view and to the end of attaining certain otheradvantages hereinafter appearing the invention consists in certainfeatures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I'is a side elevation, partly insection, of the rear end of a boat or vessel provided with my improvedcombined propelling and steering apparatus. Fig. II is atop plan of thatportion of a propeller-shaft that lies between thewheel or wheels of thepropeller and the stern-post or stern of the boat or vessel, in thisfigure portions of the stern and the rudder-forming casing being shownin section. Fig. III is a side elevation of the parts shown in Eig. II.Figs.

IV and V are sections, respectively, in detail,

Serial No. 727,617. (No model.)

on lines IV IV and V V, respectively, Fig. III. Fig. VI is a rear endelevation of the casing b and shows the connection between the saidcasing and the operating-shaft r partly in section.

Referring to the drawings, a designates the stern end of a boat, and ctthe vessels keel.

b represents the central open-ended rudderforming casing, that isarranged in a horizontal plane below the sterns overhang a2.

c designates the propeller-shaft,that extends into the stern at thestern-post as below the sterns overhang and horizontally andlongitudinally through and centrally of the casing b, and the propellerWheel or wheels d are operatively mounted upon the said shaft within thecasing Z) in any approved manner. The casing o affords a support for therear end of the propeller-shaft, and the said support comprises,preferably, two armed spiders c e, arranged within opposite ends,respectively, of the casing b and secured to the latter in any approvedmanner. Each of the spiders e, as shown in Fig. VI, has a hub ef, thatembraces and affords bearing for the propeller-shaft, and three arms e2,that are integral with and arranged radially and at equal intervalscircumferentially of the hub and extend from the hub to the casing towhich they are secured, preferably, by screws e3. Thesaid spiders bracethe cylinder internally. A T-beam f is secured to and externally of thetop of the casing b and is arranged centrally and longitudinally of thecasings top. The beam f is arranged, furthermore, with its centralflangef projecting upwardly. The beam f extends, preferably, from end toend of the casing b and is provided at its inner end with avertically-arranged eye or bossf2,that is engaged internally by thelower end ot' an upright shaft g, that extends vertically through thesterns overhang and a suitable distance above the latter. The casing -bat the bottom andinner end is pivoted vcrtically, as at b', to a bar h,that projects rearwardly from the keel and is secured to the latter inany approved manner. The aXesof the shaft g and the pivot b arecoincident. The pivot b constitutes the lower pivotal center of therudder-forming casing, and the shaft g forms the upper pivotal center ofthe said rudder.

ICO

To accommodate the movement of the rear end of the propeller-shaftwitlrthe casing Z) when thelatter is swungin a horizontal plane in theone direction or the other as required in steering the boat or vessel,the propellershaft comprises an extensible section d, arranged betweenthe rudder and the sternpost and secured to the adjacent or eontigu oussections of the shaft by universal joints c2. The most rearward sectionci of the propellershaft-that is, the shaft-section next rearward of theextensible section c'-extends through the casing Z) and bears lthepropeller wheel or wheels. The shaft-section c, that is next forward ofthe extensible section, enters the stern at the stern-post.

The shaft-section c3 hasitsinner end terminating in a fork Zt, thatparticipates in the formation of the support for the universal jointbetween the said shaft-section and the extensible shaft-section, whichfork has its shank 7c engaging a bore c5, formed in the inner end of theshaft-section c3 and secured to the latter by a setscrew k2 and thewellknown means of groove and feather 7a3. The fork 7c at the inner endof its shank has an annular shoulder 7a4, that abuts against the outerside of the forward spider e, that consequently forms a thrust-bearingfor the shaft, which bearing is properly arranged for receiving anyrearward thrust upon the shaft.

The shaft-section c4 has its outer end terminating in a fork Z, thatparticipates in the formation of the support for the universal jointbetween the said shaft-section and the extensible shaft-section, whichfork has its shank Z engaging a bore c, formed in the outer end of theshaft-section c4 and secured to the latter by a set-screw Z2 and thewellknown means of groove and feather Z3. The fork Z at the inner end ofits shank has an annular shoulder Z4, that abuts against the outer sideof the stern-post or stern.

The extensible section c of the shaft consists, preferably, of two partsm and m, arranged to slide endwise of each other. Each of the said partsis slotted longitudinally, as at m2. One of the said parts (part m inthe ease illustrated) has the side walls of its slot m2 overlapping thelongitudinal edges of the side walls of the other part m and enlargedinwardly, as at m3, so as to snuglybut slidably fit between the sidewalls of the part m. By this construction the said parts are operativelyconnected together so far as rotating in unison is concerned, and cachof the parts is prevented from turning independently of the other partduring the operation of the propeller-shaft. To reduce the frictionbetween the said parts, two antifrictionrollers m'i and m5 are provided.Roller m5 is arranged within and transversely of the slot m2 of the partm and braces apart the side walls of the slot m2 of the part m. Roller mis arranged within and transversely of the slot m2 of the part m andbraces apart the side walls of the slot in the part m. The part m at thejoint formed between it and the stern-entering shaft-section terminatesin a fork m, that participates in the formation of the support for thesaid joint and is arranged at right angles to the fork of thestern-entering shaftsection. The part m' at the joint formed between itand the propeller-wheel-bearing shaft-section terminates in a fork m7,that participates in the formation of the support for the said joint andis arranged at right angles to the fork of the wheel-bearingshaftsection.

The construction involving the peculiarities of the arrangement andassemblage of the parts of the extensible shaft-section and theconnection of the said shaft-section with the remaining shaft-sectionsis not only meritorious on account of its durability and simplicity, butbecause it accommodates the location of the rudder-forming casing in theclosest practical proximity to the stern of the boat or vessel.

Obviously the extensible shaft-section c' and the connection of the saidsection by universal joints with the stern-entering andpropeller-wheel-bearing shaft-sections are essential to accommodate theoscillation or swinging of the rudder-forming easing in a horizontalplane, and an important feature of the present invention consists in thelocation of the joint between the wheel-bearing section c3 and the nextforward and extensible section rearwardly of the axial line of thecasing b, or, in other words, the pivotal centers of the casing b arelocated a considerable distance forward of the center of the jointbetween the extensible shaft-section c and the wheel-bearingshaft-section c3, because by this construction the shaft-section c3 willduring the oscillation or swinging of the casing Z) in a horizontalplane swing not only upon the joint between the said shaft section andshafts extensible section, but both of the said shaft-sections willswing together upon the joint between the extensible shaft-section andthe stern-entering shaft-section, and consequently the casing Z1 can beswung laterally to a greater angle than would be the case if the centerof the joint between the extensible shaft-section and the pivotalcenters of the casing were in line vertically. The constructionhereinbefore described not only affords the rudder-forming casing Z) agreater' sweep, but prevents the wear upon the joints of the flexibleshaft from coming upon one of the joints only.

An inverted-U-shaped plate or block n straddles and is secured to theupright ange of the beam f at the lat-ters rear end. A U- shaped blockor plate o has its central member pivoted vertically, as at 02, orswiveled to the ripper end of the block or plate n and has its uprightend members arranged at opposite sides, respectively, of thelaterallyprojecting arm r' of the operating-shaft Ir, that is arrangedvertically and extends upwardly through the sterns overhang, prefer- IOOIIO

IZO

ably about midway between the outer end of the casing b and the axialline of the said casing. The operating-shaft is provided at its upperend with a wheel or device r2 for actuating the same. The shaft-arm r'is formed upon the lower end of the shaft and engages the under side ofan antifrictionrollero,suitablysupported from the U -shaped piece 0. Thecasing b is provided, therefore, with a device that is swiveled to thetop of the rear end of the casing and embraces the shaft-arm r.Obviously the said shaft is instrumental in supporting the rear end ofthe casing b, and the provision of the shaft-arm fr and the lattersconnection with the casings outer end afford a greater leverage thanwould be obtained by the connection of the said shaft to the casingnearer the latters inner end.

The shaft g, that, as already7 indicated, forms the upper pivotal centerof the casing b, may be used as the operating-shaft in case the actualoperating-shaft1n or the connection between the latter and the casing bbecomes disabled, and the extension of the shaft g upwardly through thesterns overhang is to accommodate the application to the said shaft of awheel or other device for turning the same. The shaft g to enable itsuse as the operating-shaft is operatively connected with the boss or eyef2, and consequently with the casing b, by the well-known means ofgroove and feather f3. A screw f4 engages a correspondingly-threadedhole formed in the lower end of the shaft g and has its head overlappingand abutting against the lower end of the eye or boss f2, andconsequently the casing b at the latters top and inner end is supportedfrom the shaft g.

Two boxes a and d5, arranged at the top and bottom, respectively, of andrigid with the sterns overhang, afford bearing for the shaft g, andcollars g', fixed or formed upon the said shaft at the outer ends of thesaid boxes., in connection with the boxes, prevent vertical displacementof the shaft.

Two boxes a and a7, arranged at the top and bottom, respectively, of andrigid with the sterns overhang, afford bearing for the shaft r, andcollars r3, iixed or formed upon the said shaft at the outer ends of theboxes, in connection with the boxes, prevent vertical displacement ofthe shaft.

A collar c7, fixed or formed upon the propeller-shaft at the outer endof the casing b at the outer side of the rear casing-bracing spider c,forms a thrust-bearing for any forward thrust upon the propeller-shaft.

A stop for preventing the casing b from being swung too far in eitherdirection is provided, and consists, preferably, of a collar r4, that isadjustably mounted upon the shaftarm 7" by a pin r engaging one of aseries of holes r6, formed in and arranged at suitable intervalslengthwise of the arm. The collar is obviously capable of as manydifferent adjustments as there are pin-receiving holes r6.

peller-shaft.

Obviously the propeller-wheels, that are confined between the spiders cand e, brace apart the spiders and, together with the spiders,constitute a thrust-bearing for the pro- In fact, the interposition ofthe propeller wheel or wheels between the spiders e and the provisionsof the shoulders or collars 7a4 and c7 at the outer ends of the hubs ofthe said spiders cause the entire thrust upon the propeller-shaft to beborne by the rudder-forming casing, and this result is eX- ceedinglydesirable in the apparatus illustrated. It should be observed also thatthe swiveled connection of the part o to the casing b, so as toaccommodate the turning of the said part o during the swinging of thesaid casing laterally, is obviously necessary.

What I claim is-' l. In apparatus of the character indicated, thecombination of the propeller wheel or wheels; the propeller shaft havinga section bearing the said wheel or wheels, another the support of theuniversal joint between the said shaft-section and the extensibleshaftsection; an open-ended casing surrounding the propeller wheel orWheels and supported as required to render it capable of being swung ina horizontal plane; spiders bracing the said casing internally andarranged at opposite ends, respectively, of the propellerwheel-bearingportion of the Wheel-bearing shaft-section; a shoulder formed upon theaforesaid fork at the outer end of the hub of the inner spider, and acollar fixed upon the wheel-bearing shaft-section at the outer end ofthe hub of the outer spider, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination of thepropeller-wheel-bearing section c3 having its inner end provided withthe fork 7c; the stern-entering shaft-section c4 terminating, at itsouter end, in the fork l; the extensible shaftsection m arranged betweenthe two aforesaid shaft-sections and having each end terminating in afork arranged at right angles to the adjacent fork of the adjacentshaft-section; universal joints form ed between adjacent forks; thepropeller wheel or wheels carried by the wheel-bearing section of theshaft; an open-ended casing surrounding the wheel-bearing portion of thewheel-bearing shaft-section and having its inner end supported asrequired to render it capable of swinging in a horizontalplane, andmeans for swinging the said casing, substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination of thepropeller-wheel-bearing shaft-section c3 having the bore c5; the fork7i; having the shank k and the shoul- IOO IIO

der 7a4; an operative connection between the forks shank and thesurrounding wall of the aforesaid bore; the casing l) suitably supportedat its inner end to render it capable of swinging in a horizontal plane;the spiders e having the hubs el and the radial arms e2; the collar ci;the stern entering shaft-section c'l having the bore c6 and the fork Zprovided with the shank Z; an operative connection between thelast-mentioned shank and the surrounding wall of vthe lastmentionedbore, and an extensible section interposed between and connected to theaforesaid forks by universal joints, substantially as set forth.

4C. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination of thepropeller-wheel-bearing shaft-section; an open-ended casing surroundingthe wheel-bearing portion of the said shaft-section, and having itsinner end supported as required to render it capable of being swung in ahorizontal plane; means for swinging the said casing upon its axis; astern-entering shaft-section; an extensible shaft-section interposedbetween the sternentering shaft-section and the wheel-bearingshaft-section; universal joints between the extensible shaft-section andthe remaining aforesaid shaft-sections, and the said extensibleshaft-section comprising the following: the part m' slottedlongitudinally, the part m slotted longitudinally and having the sidewalls of its slot overlapping the adjacent edges of the side walls ofthe first-mentioned part and enlarged inwardly between the said sidewalls of the first-mentioned part, and the rollers ml and m5, allarranged substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

5. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination with a boator vessel: of the propeller-shaft having a stern-entering section, apropeller-wheel-bearing section, an extensible section interposedbetween the stern-entering section and the wheel-bearing section, andtwo universal joints between the wheel-bearing section andstern-entering section and opposite ends, respectively, of theextensible section; a casing surrounding the wheel-bearing portion ofthe wheel-bearing shaft-section and having its inner end supported fromthe boat or vessel in such a manner as to render the casing capable ofbeing swung in a horizontal plane; means for swinging the easing, andthe location of the joint between the extensible shaft-section and thewheel-bearing shaft-section being such, relative to the axial line ofthe casing, that, when the casing is in line with the boat or vessel,the joint between the wheel-bearing shaftsection and the extensibleshaft-section shall be rearward of the casings axial line, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

6. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination with a boator vessel: of the propeller-shaft having a stern-entering section, apropeller-wheel-bearing section, an extensible section interposedbetween the stern-entering section and the wheel-bearing section, andtwo universal joints between the wheel-bearing section andstern-entering seotion and opposite ends, respectively, of theextensible section; an open-ended casing surrounding the wheel-bearingportion of the wheel-bearing shaft-section, and pivotally supported, atits inner end, top and bottom, from the boat or vessel, with the twopivotal centers arranged in line vertically; means for swinging thecasing upon the said pivotal centers, and the arrangement of parts beingsuch that the joint between the wheel-bearing shaft-section and theextensible shaftsection shall, when the casing is inline with the boator vessel, be located rearwardly of the casings pivotal centers,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination with thestern of a boat or vessel: of the propeller-shaft having a sternenteringsection, a propeller-wheel-bearing section, an extensible sectioninterposed between the sternentering section and the wheelbearingsection, and two universal joints between the wheel-bearing section andstern-entering section and opposite ends, respectively, of theextensible section; an openended casing surrounding the wheel-bearingportion of the wheel-bearing section of the shaft; a vertically-arranged eye or boss formed upon the top and inner end of the said casing; avertically-arranged shaft supported from the sterns overhang andextending through the said eye or boss and provided with a memberoverlapping the lower end of the boss or eye; a bar rigid with the boator vessel and arranged to support the aforesaid casing at the lattersbottom, and a verticallyarranged pivot securing the said casing to thecasings last-mentioned support, and the said pivot and the aforesaidvertically-arranged shaft being arranged in line vertically,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

S. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination with thestern of a boat or vessel, and the propeller wheel containing casinghaving its inner end supported from the sterns overhang as required torender it capable of being swung in a horizontal plane; of an uprightshaft arranged above and between the ends of the said casing,which shaftis supported from the sterns overhang and is provided, at its lower end,with a laterally-projecting arm operatively connected with the aforesaidcasing, and means for turning the shaft, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

i). In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination with thestern of a boat or vessel, and the propeller-wheel-containing casinghaving its inner end supported from the sterns overhang as required torender it capable of being swung in a horizontal plane; of an uprightshaft arranged above and between the ends of the said casing, whichshaft is supported from the sterns overhang and is IOO IIO

provided, at the lower end, with a laterallyprojecting arm operativelyconnected with the aforesaid casing; means for turning the shaft, and astop for limiting the lateral swinging of the casing in eitherdirection.

10. In apparatus of the characterindicated, the combination with thestern of a boat or vessel, and the propeller-wheel-containing casinghaving its inner end supported from the sterns overhang as required torender it capable of being swung in a horizontal plane; of an uprightshaft arranged above and between the ends of the said casing, whichshaft is supported from the sterns overhang and is provided, at itslower end, with a laterallyprojecting arm; means for turning the shaft;a device swiveled to the top of the casing and embracing the shaft-arm,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Il. In apparatus of the characterindicated, the combination With thestern of a boat or vessel, and the propeller-wheel-containing casinghaving its inner end supported from the sterns overhang as required torender it capable of being swung in a horizont-al plane; of an uprightshaft arranged above and between the ends of the said casi ng, whichshaft is supported from the sterns overhang and is provided, at itslower end, with a laterallyprojecting arm; means for turning the shaft;a device swiveled to the top of the casing and embracing the aforesaidshaft-arm, and a collar adjustably mounted upon the said arm at theouter side of the aforesaid arm-embracing device, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

l2. In apparatus of the characterindicated, the combination with thestern of a boat or vessel, and the propeller-wheel-containing casinghaving its inner end supported from the sterns overhang as required torender it capable of being swung in a horizontal plane; of an uprightshaft arranged above and between the ends of the said casing, whichshaft is supported from the sterns overhang and is provided, at itslower end, with a laterallyprojecting arm; means for turning the shaft,and a device swiveled to the top of the casing and embracing theaforesaid shaft-arm, and comprising an antifriction-roller resting uponthe shaft-arm.

13. In apparatus of the characterindicated, the combination with thestern of a boat or vessel, and the propeller-wheel-containing casinghaving its inner end supported from the sterns overhang as required torender it capable of being swung in a horizontal plane; of an uprightshaft arranged above and between the ends of the said casin g, whichshaft is supported from the sterns overhang and is provided, at itslower end, with a laterallyprojecting arm; means for turning the shaft;a T-beam secured to the top and arranged longitudinally of the casing;an inverted-U- shaped plate or block straddling and secured to the outerend of the said beam; a U- shaped plate or block having its centralmember pivoted vertically, or swiveled, tothe central member of theinverted-U-shaped member, and having its upright end members arranged atopposite sides, respectively, of the aforesaid shaft-arm,and anantifriction-roller supported from and arranged between the said endmembers and resting upon the said shaft-arm, substantially as shown, forthe purpose specified.

14. In apparatus of the character indicated, the combination with thestern of a boat or vessel: of the propeller-shaft having a sternenteringsection, a propeller-wheel-bearing section, an extensible sectioninterposed between the stern entering section and the wheelbearingsection, and two universal joints between the wheel-bearing section andstern-entering section and opposite ends, respectively, of theextensible section; an openended casing surrounding the Wheel-bearingportion of the wheel-bearing section of the shaft; a vertically-arranged eye or boss formed upon the top and inner end of the said casing; avertically-arranged shaft supported from the sterns overhang andextending through the said eye or boss, which shaft is operativelyconnected with lthe casing and provided with a member overlapping thelower end of the said boss or eye; an upright shaft supported from thesterns overhang, and arranged between the ends of the aforesaid casing;alaterally-extendngarm formed upon the lower end of the said shaft andoperatively connected with the outer end ofthe casing, substantially asset forth.

Signed by me, at Cleveland, Ohio, this 14th day of August, 1899.

ISADOR LEHMAN. Witnesses:

C. H. Donna, A. H. PARROTT.

